Karkovice

As a fading sun hovering atop the bleachers at Comiskey Park fights incessantly to warm a cold April day, Chicago White Sox veteran Carlton Fisk plods from the home dugout to the batting cage for a few pregame swings.Fisk, a decorated catcher with one foot in the Hall of Fame and a lifetime of baseball sticking to his resume like pine tar, cuts an imposing figure at 6 feet 2 and 235 pounds. His late-afternoon shadow on this particular day carves a Bunyanesque image that spills far onto the diamond in front of home plate.

SUMMARY: Although sloppy at times, host Pine Castle had little trouble knocking off an overmatched Central Florida Christian squad 46-12. STAR: Pine Castle QB Thomas Austin passed for 123 yards and two TDs, and rushed for 74 yards and two more TDs.KEY STAT: Pine Castle held CFCA to only 31 total yards and forced four turnovers in the first half. TURNING POINT: Pine Castle turned two interceptions into touchdowns in the second quarter. EXTRA POINTS: Pine Castle brothers Stephen Karkovice and Patrick Karkovice both had interceptions.

When the call -- make that The Call -- came, Ron Karkovice was in a motel room in Memphis around midnight two weeks ago with little hint that his professional career was about to lurch into overdrive. A burly catcher who has been grooming his dream of playing big-league hardball ever since his 1982 graduation from Orlando Boone High School, Karkovice was employed at the time by the Birmingham team in the Class AA Southern League -- a.k.a. The Bushes.Oh, there had been some signs earlier that his time was growing near.

Yes, that's Ron Karkovice behind the counter scooping up your chicken salad. Not that he's tumbled to any kind of blue-collar low after 16 years of professional baseball, 11 of them in the majors as a catcher with the Chicago White Sox. He enjoys this part of his new gig. Karkovice, a Boone High graduate and Orlando native (he's lived here since he was 8), opened Ronnie's Big League Deli in November off the northeast corner of Michigan and Fern Creek. The cozy, memorabilia-filled restaurant is just a precursor to the sports bar set to start serving in the back by the beginning of football season.

In the batting cage, hitting instructor Deron Johnson is reminding Ron Karkovice to keep his weight balanced, his elbows in, his hands back.In the bullpen, coach Art Kusnyer is reminding Karkovice about handling certain pitchers. Floyd Bannister, for example, needs plenty of positive feedback. Jose DeLeon, conversely, needs a kick in the rump.In the locker room, veteran Carlton Fisk, who earlier in the day had shown Karkovice a trick about positioning his feet, gives him another reminder.

Catcher Ron Karkovice, a former star at Orlando Boone High School now in his fifth season in the Chicago White Sox organization, will get a chance to play in front of his hometown fans when Birmingham comes to town to play the Orlando Twins Thursday through Sunday.The White Sox replaced Detroit at Birmingham in the Class AA Southern League this season and have placed Karkovice in Double A again after he hit only .216 in 99 games last season at Glens Falls.In 1984 he hit .215 in 88 games at Glens Falls but still got a shot at Triple A, hitting .221 at Denver in 31 games.

Ron Karkovice's bat has sent him all over the world. Because of it, he spent part of last summer in Hawaii, the winter in Puerto Rico, and he probably will be in Canada later this spring.Problem is, Karkovice wishes the darn scrap of wood would cooperate so he could just stay in Chicago with the White Sox.Karkovice, from Boone High School, was the first-round draft choice of the White Sox in 1982. He was their starting catcher last year but was sent to the Triple-A Hawaii Islanders in July after hitting an embarrassing .071.

For nearly half his life, Orlando's Ron Karkovice was paid to catch in the Chicago White Sox organization.This spring, Karkovice, 34, is trying to catch on with a new team: the Cleveland Indians. As a non-roster invitee with aging knees, however, the former Boone High star is a long shot to make the club.Could this be the end of his 16-year pro career? Karkovice doesn't think so.``A lot of teams thought I was going to retire after last season,'' said Karkovice, who was released by the White Sox in the off-season after spending the last 10 years at the big-league level.

The Chicago White Sox have purchased the contract of minor-league catcher Ron Karkovice from Birmingham of the Class AA Southern League. Karkovice, who played high school ball at Orlando Boone, was Chicago's first-round draft pick in 1982. Karkovice hit .282 in 96 games at Birmingham. He hit 20 home runs and had 53 RBIs. To make room for Karkovice, the White Sox placed infielder- outfielder Luis Salazar on the disabled list.

SUMMARY: Although sloppy at times, host Pine Castle had little trouble knocking off an overmatched Central Florida Christian squad 46-12. STAR: Pine Castle QB Thomas Austin passed for 123 yards and two TDs, and rushed for 74 yards and two more TDs.KEY STAT: Pine Castle held CFCA to only 31 total yards and forced four turnovers in the first half. TURNING POINT: Pine Castle turned two interceptions into touchdowns in the second quarter. EXTRA POINTS: Pine Castle brothers Stephen Karkovice and Patrick Karkovice both had interceptions.

CATCHER RON Karkovice was unconditionally released by the Cleveland Indians on Monday. Karkovice, 34, a product of Boone High School, played his 12-year major-league career with the Chicago White Sox. He signed with the Indians on Jan.13 and was put on the disabled list March 29 with a strained right elbow.DEVIL RAYS ACTIVATE ALVAREZLEFT-HANDER WILSON Alvarez, sidelined since May 20 with a sore pitching shoulder, has been activated by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Right-hander Bryan Rekar, out since the beginning of the season with a back injury, also was activated.

For nearly half his life, Orlando's Ron Karkovice was paid to catch in the Chicago White Sox organization.This spring, Karkovice, 34, is trying to catch on with a new team: the Cleveland Indians. As a non-roster invitee with aging knees, however, the former Boone High star is a long shot to make the club.Could this be the end of his 16-year pro career? Karkovice doesn't think so.``A lot of teams thought I was going to retire after last season,'' said Karkovice, who was released by the White Sox in the off-season after spending the last 10 years at the big-league level.

NEW YORK Yankees designated hitter Cecil Fielder is expected to miss 6-8 weeks after fracturing his right thumb during a headfirst slide Tuesday against Cleveland. Surgery is planned for today. Fielder was placed on the 15-day disabled list, and first baseman Ivan Cruz was recalled from Columbus, Ohio, of the International League.METS FIRE GENERAL MANAGERJOE MCILVAINE was fired as general manager of the surprising New York Mets, the apparent victim of a personality conflict with co-owner Fred Wilpon and manager Bobby Valentine.

While Jorge Fabregas grows into his role as one of the key players on the Chicago White Sox, the man he replaced wants the team to release or trade him.Ron Karkovice, who had been the regular catcher most of this decade until the White Sox traded for Fabregas in May, said he can contribute.''They have no plans for me,'' said Karkovice, who helped Boone High School to a state baseball championship in 1981. ''Either trade me or let me go so I can get picked up by somebody else. But I'm not playing here.

BALTIMORE SECOND baseman Roberto Alomar has yet to suit up for a spring training practice because of a sprain to his left ankle in mid-February, but he has thrown away his crutches and is throwing without pain. He took another step toward returning Wednesday when he threw hard for the first time in weeks and walked briskly without a limp.HARGROVE MAKING NEW PLANSWITH CLEVELAND Indians relief ace Jose Mesa facing a trial on March 31 in Lakewood, Ohio, on charges of rape, manager Mike Hargrove has to make contingency plans for the closer's position.

Major League Baseball players typically come to Florida this time of year to stretch, throw, maybe play a little golf, in preparation for another seven-month season.But instead of pitching and catching, players such as Tim Raines and Ron Karkovice of the Chicago White Sox and Eddie Taubensee of the Cincinnati Reds will gather inside a posh Orlando hotel today, not the spring training sites of their respective teams.And instead of discussing the nuances of baseball with coaches and teammates, they likely will talk about picket lines, salary caps and other details of the six-month-old strike with Donald Fehr, the head of their union.

Wilson Alvarez, in his first game as member of the Chicago White Sox, threw a no-hitter Sunday afternoon as the Baltimore Orioles fell, 7-0, in front of 40,455 in Memorial Stadium.Only twice was the no-hitter - the sixth this season - in serious danger. In the seventh inning, Cal Ripken swung full and dribbled one to the left of home plate. Catcher Ron Karkovice of Orlando called Alvarez off the ball, pounced on it and fired wide of Dan Pasqua at first as Ripken reached the bag.''After I threw it and I saw the ball go by,'' Karkovice said, ''I went out to the mound and I was talking to Wilson, and I said, 'Give me an error.

NEW YORK Yankees designated hitter Cecil Fielder is expected to miss 6-8 weeks after fracturing his right thumb during a headfirst slide Tuesday against Cleveland. Surgery is planned for today. Fielder was placed on the 15-day disabled list, and first baseman Ivan Cruz was recalled from Columbus, Ohio, of the International League.METS FIRE GENERAL MANAGERJOE MCILVAINE was fired as general manager of the surprising New York Mets, the apparent victim of a personality conflict with co-owner Fred Wilpon and manager Bobby Valentine.

As expected, Chicago White Sox manager Gene Lamont shook up his lineup Tuesday night for Game 6 of the American League playoffs. Designated hitter Bo Jackson and catcher Ron Karkovice, from Orlando, were on the bench and Warren Newson and Mike LaValliere were starting against Toronto. Jackson was 0-for-10 with six strikeouts in three games. Karkovice was 0-for-14. Jackson, Newson and George Bell were considered by Lamont for the DH job. Newson hit a solo homer in four at-bats Tuesday. LaValliere was hitless in two at-bats.

As a fading sun hovering atop the bleachers at Comiskey Park fights incessantly to warm a cold April day, Chicago White Sox veteran Carlton Fisk plods from the home dugout to the batting cage for a few pregame swings.Fisk, a decorated catcher with one foot in the Hall of Fame and a lifetime of baseball sticking to his resume like pine tar, cuts an imposing figure at 6 feet 2 and 235 pounds. His late-afternoon shadow on this particular day carves a Bunyanesque image that spills far onto the diamond in front of home plate.